Food for the Journey —

sleepers and contracts

Abram was sleeping. You heard me. Not awake. He had dozed off and was in a state of slumber. He was resting on the ground without a pillow; with dreaming accompanied by nightmares. He was out; semi-comotose; talking with the Sandman. He was sneaking forty winks; getting some ZZZ’s.

He was probably snoring too.

For a man who had been so gun-ho about the deal, it wasn’t looking so good at the moment. How could he fall asleep?

Abram had done his best to listen to God. He was doing his utmost to follow. Even when the people around him thought he was crazy! He had changed everything he knew to change, and had pursued every avenue he knew to pursue. And still, he waited.

There were times, oft in the middle of the night, when a persistent Strong Urging would speak. The Voice continued to draw him in. This unseen, hard to understand, yet all-encompassing Presence would speak. “I am with you. Don’t be afraid.”

Even in the midst of his dysfunctional family, Abram kept holding on to his hope. Someday the promises he had heard in his heart would be fulfilled. Someday, hopefully soon, he would understand. It had been years. Was his soul weary? He didn’t know.

All he could do was to keep living his life. And so he did.

Day in, and day out, his routines maintained their rhythm. Seasons in, and seasons out, his world continued. His flocks and herds grew. His crops were harvested. Cities were built and battled for. Cultures rose and fell. Governments chased their agendas.

One day, in the midst of his faithful plodding, the Voice came once again. “Set up a contract site for us, Abram. I want to meet with you.” Oh, how his heart filled with joy and anticipation! The God he had waited to see was coming to him! It wouldn’t be long now! Everything would be fine! Full of gladness, he placed the animal halves in their positions. He looked around. Yes, everything was ready.

Even the torch was in place. Waiting to be lit when his Unseen Partner arrived.

And he waited. He would do all that was required. He would show himself worthy. And when it was done, he would keep his side of the bargain. The Voice would know he had been the right choice!

But then, he fell asleep. Sound. How could he? You would think that if someone had left their country, their family, their home, in order to discover a burgeoning, illustrious promise, the least he could do would be to stay awake! Wouldn’t you? And, in light of his failure; any good businessman would walk away from such a partner! A go-getter would see that Abram wasn’t really made of the right material.

Small failures have been known to break large deals. Contracts have been abandoned for much less than a nap before. After all, sleeping men can’t make their signature; or shake hands; or look you in the eyes; or even agree.

When the time came, Terror showed up, battling for Abram’s sanity. What was his reality now, he wondered?

But then, the Voice came. Bringing Peace. It was the Voice that lit the torch, passing it between the sides of the physical contract. How was that possible? Was it the purpose of the Voice to keep both sides of the contract? Who could do such a thing? And yet, it had apparently been the original plan to do so.

When they spoke later, the Voice explained a new word to Abram’s understanding. “It is my everlasting Covenant, Abram.”

Covenant. In the midst of failure; God remains.

Covenant. When the heart has fallen asleep and is unaware; God remains.

Covenant. When the soul is weary, and Terror descends; God remains.

Everlasting Covenant.

Abba Father does not make contracts. He keeps covenants. He is the Promiser, and the Keeper of Promises. And, while many around us may judge the standing and status of our existence based upon comparisons; please know that God does not. Conditional approval comes from a much darker realm.

In the eternal scheme of things, our small failures cannot break His large deals. He will not abandon us. When we realize we have been less than faithful, He remains faithful….. And He is aware when we find ourselves unable to make our signature; or shake hands; or look Him in the eyes. He even knows when the perceptions and imprintings of our hearts fight us when we really desire to trust and believe.

Dear reader, it is important that you know at this point that you are important to him. You were planned long before the earth was blueprinted. Your gender, your ethnicity, your giftings, and even your eye color were mapped out, complete with only good plans for your life…”plans for a future and a hope.” And know this: your ability to maintain a God-relationship is a matter of His everlasting covenant; not of your performance-oriented contract. He is on your side, and He wants to help you succeed.

I need to get a computer, so I can read and weep at home…for now I do it at the U of A library, and it’s always when I am not expecting it. That was Awesome Deb…and God! He always shows up on the page. Thank you!